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Xanian architecture
Xanian architecture has traditionally by characterized by a mixture of wood and stone building materials, often built partly submerged into the ground, horizontal lines, and hip roofs with broad overhanging eaves. Windows are formed into horizontal bands, and ornamentation is disciplined and geometric in design. Using sliding doors for interior rooms and heavy hinged doors for entrances into buildings, Xanian structures were both secure and modular as needed with regards to the later. Though chairs and tables were commonly used by the population, cushions placed on the floor were equally common in informal settings, typically in the bedroom and studies of the residents where proximity to the ground provides both warmth and security during warfare. While modern and post-modern architectural designs were incorporated into Xanian construction and designing, traditional building styles continue to dominate the way buildings are constructed in Xania. The designs of Xanian buildings have existed for as long as the Xanian civilization, perpetuating itself for more than twelve thousand years. Because of the warfare and nature of Zhakar, Xanian architectural design largely reflects the drive for security and protection against foreign armies, hostile wildlife, and the winters of Zhakar. Zheani served as the basis of many designs used by the Xanian people when constructing their residences and temples, which possessed many neat, geometric designs as preferred by the religion. Because of the religion's tenets revolving around logic and reason, geometric and mathematically inspired building styles helped to shape the direction of Xanian construction and architecture. Incorporating modesty and simplicity into Xanian architecture came to define the style of Xanian structures, with simple black, white, silver and gold colors used in the construction of all Xanian buildings. Features Architectural bilateral symmetry Xanian architecture is characterized by open plans and horizontal lines, while also focusing heavily on symmetry, simplicity, and functionality, placing emphasis on the seamless fusion of buildings and structures which reflected balance and order in the design. From the lowliest of houses to the grandest of imperial palaces, symmetry and articulation are found in all buildings constructed by the Xanians. Buildings were planned in such a way that even numbers could be found in the number of columns used in finished structure, and the number of corners in a building never ended in an odd number. Curved surfaces were rare in Xanian architecture given the wide belief that curves went against the clean, neat angles that allowed for near perfect symmetry in a building's design. Curvature and asymmetrical designs could only, rarely, be found in Xanian gardens, where the flow of such shapes worked much better with the environment. Enclosure In Xanian society, the idea of wide-open unused spaces has never been apart of their thinking, with the prevailing thought that a building should use as much of the space it has been given. Thus, the idea of an open yard was never a priority in Xanian architecture. With the addition of chronic warfare which plagued Xanian civilization for centuries, fortified homes also forced the need for large enclosures that used as much space as possible for storing items in the event of a siege. The ultimate result was the formation of large garden enclosures which came to dominate Xanian homes and estates. These came in two varieties: *''Courtyard'': Similar to the courtyards found in quadrangle architecture, large courtyards were an integral part of Xanian architecture. Both practical and fashionable, such courtyard designs served as a place of recreation for the large Xanian families that lived in the surrounding buildings, as well as serving as a place goods could be stored in bulk should the need come for it. *''Sky well'': Found primarily in structures devoted to worship, such as temples, shrines, and reliquaries, as well as shops and some estates, the sky well is effectively the same thing as a courtyard, but with a much more narrow opening at the top. The use of sky wells automatically demanded a smaller building design for its usage, or multiple pillars to hold up the roof over a larger surface, thereby restricting the use of sky wells. The Xanian sky well also serves as a method to collect rain water during the torrential months from the roof and draining into a basin in the center of the courtyard. They also served to aid in the regulation of temperature inside of the courtyard, maintaining a cool temperature during the warmer months, and a warm interior during the winter months. The wider courtyards same the same benefit, helping to keep the cold winds outside of the complex from blowing into the courtyard, providing a considerably warm interior in the winter in spite of the wide open spaces. Construction Materials Structure Architectural types Government Military Religious Commoner Urban planning Category:Xanian architecture Category:Copyright